Power plant apparatus



Feb. 6, 1934.

c. P. WETHERBEE ET AL 1,945,249

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POWER PLANT APPARATUS Filed Jan. 8, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1n um l haw Feb. 6, 1934. Q WETHERBEE ET AL 1,946,249

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1934. c. P. WETHERBEE ET AL 3 POWER PLANT APPARATUS Filed Jan. 8, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 0.1? 1/6 J Efiar Patented Feb. 6, 1934 r POWER PLANT APPARATUS Charles P. Wetherbee, Bath, Maine, and John E. Burkhardt, Quincy, Mass, assignors to Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Ltd., a corporation of Delaware Application January 8, 1932. Serial No. 585,450 18 Claims. (01. 60-95) This invention relates to improvements in from the following description, wherein refersteam power plant apparatus for ships, and more en'ce is made to the accompanying drawings illusparticularly to the arrangement of a steam turtrating the preferred embodiment of our invenbine and its condenser intended for use on board tion and wherein similar reference numerals a torpedo boat destroyer or the like. designate similar parts throughout the several 60 In such power plant installations the present views. day speed requirements demand power equip- Fig. 1 is a part section through a ship showing ment of such large capacity in proportion to the in end elevation a combined turbine and consize of the ship that designers have found it denser installation embodying our invention;

diflicult to meet the demands either adequately Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the turbine 85 or satisfactorily as regards the layout of the casing taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 5; various units. This has been especially true as Fig. 3 is a side elevation in part section of regards the arrangement of the turbines and conthe condenser as viewed from the open side when densers where owing to their need to be most detached from the turbine;

16- emciently and economically arranged they have Fig. 4 is a detail section taken along the line 70 been grouped contiguously transverse the ship. 4--4 of Fig. 3; and

This grouping has been further complicated by Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the combined'turthe need to maintain the drive shaft of the probine and condenser arrangement showing a part pellers as near horizontal and parallel to the section of the condenser.

center line of the ship as possible in order to ob- Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, we "(5 tain the utmost in efiiciency. Heretofore in show diagrammatically a power plant installathe eifort to meet these conditions there has usution embodying the features of our invention as ally been a sacrifice made in one feature or anapplied in a torpedo boat destroyer-the boat other in order to gain as favorable a condition structure being designated by the numeral 10.

as possible in what was thought to be, for the As shown in Fig. 1, one half of the destroyer moment, the more desirable features. For inis indicated on the drawing-it is to be understance, the most generally adopted arrangement stood that a similar installation to that shown has been that in which the condenser is placed occupies the other half of the boat not included underneath the turbine, which arrangement from in Fig. 1. The diagram is that of an end eleva- 30 an operation standpoint is eflicient and desirable, tion showing a high pressure turbine 11', the exin that the turbine is self-draining; but it has haust steam of which is cross connected by the disadvantage of placing the turbine relatively means of the pipe 12 to the low pressure turbine high and thus giving an undesirable angle, or 13. The steam inlet to the high pressure'turbine rake, to the propeller shaft. Again, condensers is by means of the pipe 14 while a branch pipe 35 have been placed above or at the side of the 15 therefrom supplies live steam to a reverse turbine, in which case there has been a gain as turbine unit disposed integrally with the low regards the angle of the drive shaft, but a loss pressure turbine. The operation of the turbines as regards the drainage of the turbine. Also in is controlled by suitable valves. The turbines these various arrangements it has been the pracl1 and 13 together with the reverse turbine are 40 tice to have the condensers separate from the connected by means of suitable reduction gearing turbine and to connect the two by an exhaust 16 to the propeller drive shaft 17. The low prespipe, or trunk, which were not only cumbersome sure turbine 13 is direct connected, for the disin themselves but were wasteful of the space charge of its exhaust steam to the condenser 18. utilized for the turbine and condenser. Asshown in Fig. 1 the condenser 18 is shown 45 The especial object of the present invention, with its circulating water inlet pipe removed therefore, is to so design the turbine and conexposing the tube nest 19 with a few of the tubes denser arrangement as to be particularly adapted indicated at 20. for use in ships where economy of space is highly The low water mark of the boat is shown at essential; this in such a manner as not to impair 21,.and, with this in mind, consideration of Fig.

50 its elficiency, either as a condensing unit, or as l with reference to the description hereinbefore apropeller shaft drive; and at the same time given makes apparent to those-skilled in the art efiect a considerable saving in manufacturing the favorable location of the propeller drlve'shaft costs, in increased efiiciency of operation, and in 17 in our arrangement. Also, it is'readily seen .the reduction of weight. that our arrangement of the low pressure'tur 55 Other objects and advantages will be apparent binel3 and the condenser 18 with reference to the ships structure 10 is very compact and most economical of space. Other advantages will be described in more detail in the description which follows.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 2 and 5, we will describe that part of our invention which relates to the low pressure turbine 13. The low pressure turbine 13 indicated in Fig. 1 has an outer exhaust steam casing 22 which includes, or is attached to, the turbine stator 23, within which is mounted by suitable fastening devices 24 the reverse turbine stator 25. The stator 23 with the stator 25 'is in halves, of which the upper half 26 has integral therewith the steam inlet 27, while the lower half 28 is adapted for attachment at its ends to the pedestal bearings 29 and 30 by means of suitable fastening devices 31. A turbine rotor 32 is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in the pedestal bearings 29 and 30.

The low pressure turbine 13 is of the well known marine double-flow type with reverse turbine integral therewith. For driving ahead, steam enters through the inlet 27 and orifice 33 to the interior of the stator 23 where flowing longiand 52 are welded on their inner stator half 26, to the pipes 53, and on their outer tudinally in opposite directions through stator and rotor blading (not shown) in the passageways 34 and 35 it passes in an expanded state through the stator end ports 36 and 37 to the interior of the casing 22. In reversing, steam from the pipe 15 flows through the upper half reverse steam inlet port 38 to the passageway 39 and through the lower half reverse steam inlet port 40 into the passageway 41 where flowing .-longitudinally through the stator and rotor blading (not shown) in the passageway 42 it passes in an expanded state into the interior of the casing 22.

We preferably make the casing 22 of compara- -tively light material, such as steel plate welded construction, welded to the stator As shown in Fig. 5 the casing 22 is composed'of two halves. The upper half 43 is welded as at 44 to the upper half 26 of the stator 23, while the lower half 45 is welded as at 46 to the lower half 28 of the stator 23. By making this casing of welded steel plate we are enabled to make a considerable saving in weight and at the'same time due to the substantially uniform structure of the stator we avoid difiiculties arising from unequal expansion and contraction.

For reinforcing the casing 22 we provide the peripheral ribs '47 and 48, and the end piece ribs 49 and 50, in the upper and lower halves, respectively. The ribs and casing are further strengthened and braced by the pipes 51, 52 and 53 in the upper half, and the pines 54, 55 and 56 in the lower half. The ribs 4'7, 43, 49 and 50 are welded to their respective casing. The pipes 51 ends to the ribs 47 and the casing 43. The pipes 53 are welded on their ends to the ribs 49 and the casing 43. The pipes 54 and 55 are welded on their inner ends to the stator half 28, to the pipes 56, and on their outer ends to the ribs 48 and the casing 45. The pipes 56 are welded on their ends to the ribs 50 and the casing 45. Manholes with detachable covers 57 and 58 are provided in the upper and lower halves respectively.

The stator halves 26 and 28 are provided along the periphery of their surface of separation with the flanges 59 and 60, respectively. The halves 26 and 28 are-normally joined together by means of the bo1ts61 through the. flanges 59.

and 60. The bolts 61 are exteriorly accessible on ends to the the ends and along one side. Along the side normally enclosed by the assembled turbine and condenser installation the bolts 61 are accessible by means of the manholes 5'7 and 58.

The casing 22 when in its normal assembled condition composed of the upper half 43 and the lower half 45 is delimited along one side by a combined open outlet delimited by the flan ed edge 61 or" the upper half 43 and by the flanged edge 62 of the lower half 45. The flanged edges 61' and 62 form a plane of separation of the casing 22 with the condenser 18, which plane slopes outwardly in an upward direction away from the axis of the stator 23 and substantially parallel thereto. The bottom side of the lower half 45 of the casing 22 slopes downwardly toward the open flanged side 62. By these means drainage from the turbine 13 is drained automatically into the condenser 18.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 3 and 5, we will describe that part of our invention which relates to the condenser 18. The condenser 18 is of that type commonly known as a surface condenser in which the vapor to be condensed comes into contact with the exterior surface of a large number of small tubes through which a cooling liquid is passed. In our design the condenser outline in cross-section is roughly that of a slender oval delimited between its rounded ends by one side adapted to conform to the interior of the ships hull while the greater partof the opposite side constitutes the exhaust steam inlet opening and is adapted for attachment to the turbine steam exhaust casing 22 by means of a surrounding flanged edge 63 and suitable fastening devices 64. The flanged inlet 63 extends substantially the full width of the condenser and is open except for bracing members to be described hereinafter. A casing sheet 65 is welded to the flange 63 at the top and extends around the condenser until it meets the fiange 63 at the bottom and is there welded, thus forming the main casing member. The casing sheet 65 is reinforced exteriorly by the flanges 66, 67 and 68 which are welded to the casing sheet 65 and at the top and bottom ends to the flange 63. A nest of condenser tubes 19 with the tubes 20 fills the greater part of the area formed by the casing sheet 65 and the flanged inlet 63. A smaller area at the bottom defines a pocket 69 or hot-well which collects the condensate from the exhaust steam. This hot-well 66 is closed at the ends by the plates 70 and 71 reinforced by the angles '72 and 73, respectively, the plates being welded to the angles and to each other. 3 that the casing sheet 65 at the bottom slopes downwardly toward one end for drainage purposes, and at the lower end in plate '70 a condensate outlet '74 is provided. The condensate pocket 69 is further reinforced on the interior 1 by the angles 75, 76 and 77, plates '78 and 79. a

The bafiie plates 78 and 79 divide the interior of the condenser 18 laterally into three separate compartments 80, 81, and 82. The baffle plates '78 and '79 are welded to the casing sheet 65 and to reinforcing angles 83 and 84, the, latter are also welded to the casing sheet 65. The compartments 80, 81 and 82 communicate one with another at the bottom in the condensate pocket by reason of orifices 85 and 86 in the battle plates 78 and 79' respectively. Where the baiiie plates and by the baiile edge by means of slightly flattened pipe memconsiderable saving in weight, and in addition.

bars 87 welded thereto (see Fig. 4) The pipe members 87 are then cross-braced to each other and to the side portions of the flange 63 by means of slightly flattened pipes 88 and brace end members 89 and 90.

The baffle plates '78 and 79 act also as intermediate supports for the condenser tubes 20. The outer ends of the condenser tubes are suitably supported and attached to the tube sheets 91 and 92. The tube sheets 91 and 92 in turn are adapted by means of bolt apertures 93 to be supported on the flanges 94 and 95 respectively. The flange 94 is welded to the tube sheet support extension 96. The flange 95' is welded to the tube sheet support extension 97 and to the flange 95. The latter weld is preferably made along the outer periphery of the flanges only, which permits of the two flanges 95' and 95 acting as an expansion joint.

In each of the compartments 80, 81 and 82 at the top and nearer to that side of the condenser which conforms to the ships hull contour are the baffles 98 each forming a comparatively narrow pasageway 99 and each having an air ejector outlet 100. The bafiles 98 are each reinforced by welded angles 101 and welded corner fastening angles 102.

When completely installed each end ofthecondenser has in place special end pipe fittings 103 and 104 bolted by means of bolts 105 to the flanges 94 and 95 along with the tube sheets 91 and 92. In operation sea-water is pumped through one special pipe fitting to and through the tubes 20 to the opposite end pipe fitting and thence overboard. At the same time exhaust steam from the turbine exhaust steam casing ,22 flows into the condenser 18 through the flanged inlet 63 and comes into contact immediately with a comparatively. large area of tubes, between and around which the steam is drawn by reason of the condensing actions of the tubes and by reason of a vacuum applied to the air ejector outlet 100. In passing between and around the tubes the steam is condensed and draining downward is collected in the hot-well 69 at the bottom of the casing 65. This condensing action takes place in each or the compartments 80, 81 and 82, but by reason of the communicating orifices 85 and 86 in the bafiies '78 and 79, the water level is the same throughout the hot-well 69. By having individual air ejector outlet connections 100 for each of the compartments 80, 81 and 82, and having each of the compartments individually substantially air tight, the vacuum effect is more evenly distributed'to all parts of the condenser, which acts, together with the directional effect of the baffles 98, to maintain an efliecient circulation of the condensing steam, the condensate draining downwardto the hot-well 69, while the air and noncondensable gases are withdrawn through the outlet connections 100. The condensate as it forms falls downward and in doing so passes through the incoming steam in the bottom part of the condenser, thus tending to keep the condensate water at a temperature close to that of the incoming steam. This latter is a very desirable feature since the condensate water is used in the boiled feed water system, and heat is in this manner conserved.

It is now evident that, by the described construction, we have provided in power plant apparatus for ships a combined turbine and con- :denser unit containing valuable and novel improvements. By utilizing welded steel plate eonstructionwherever possible wehavemade a gained a greater flexibility of assembled parts which will compensate for variable strains set up due to unequal expansion and contraction. By the close coupled arrangement of the turbine with the condenser, we have made further considerable savings in weight, and by the resulting compactness of the design together with the shaping of the condenser to flt snugly against the ships interior framing we have made a considerable saving in space. Matters of weight and space are of the utmost importance on a ship of the torpedo boat destroyer type where speed is the supreme considerationless weight means more speed for the same power, and a saving in space means more power in the available space. Furthermore, by our arrangement, just now designated, which includes the sloping bottom of the turbine casing with the condenser hot-well, just below, we secure perfect drainage conditions for the turbine, while, at the same time, we also secure nearly ideal conditions for the propellershaft drive.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that although we have shown the combined turbine and condenser casing in three parts it would be practicable to make the lower half of the turbine casing an integral part of the condenser casing and that such would be an equivalent structure to that shown.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that although we have shown a specific type of turbine in the hereinbefore describedarrangement, that other types of turbines could be used without departing from the spirit of our invention. Also, we have described and illustrated other features of our invention in considerable specific detail for illustrative purposes, but we do not wish to be so limited, but may use such modification in, substitution for, or equivalent thereof, as are embraced within the scope of our invention or as pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a marine installation comprising a horizontal steam turbine and a condenser, an exhaust casing enclosing the stator of the turbine com-'- prising an upper half and a lower half, the plane of separation of which is horizontal and substantially through the shaft axis of the turbine, and a condenser casing attached to said exhaust casing indirect communication with both halves of said exhaust casing, the plane of separation between the exhaust casing and the condenser casing being inclined with respect to a vertical plane through the axis of the turbine shaft.

2. In a marine installation comprising a horizontal steam turbine and a condenser, a stator for the turbine separable on a substantially horizontal plane through its axis, an exhaust casing enclosing the stator comprising an upper half fixed to the upper half of the stator, and a lower half fixed to the lower half of the stator, and a condenser casing attached to the exhaust casing in direct communication with both halves of said exhaust casing, the plane of separation between the exhaust casing and the condenser casing being inclined with respect to a vertical plane through the axis of the stator.

3. In a marine installation comprising a horizontal steam turbine and a condenser, a stator for the turbine separable on a substantially horizontal plane through 'itsaxis, an exhaust casing enclosing the'stator comprising an upper half fixed to the upper half of the stator, and a lower half fixed to the lower half of the stator, and a condenser casing attached to the exhaust casing in direct communication with both halves of said'exhaust casing, the plane of separation between the exhaust casing and the condenser casing being inclined with respect to a vertical plane through the axis of the stator, the condenser casing wall disposed oppositely to the plane of separation being conformed to the ships hull interior framing.

4. In a marine installation comprising a horizontal double-flow steam turbine and a condenser, a substantially cylindrical stator composed of separable halves in which the plane of separation is horizontal through its axis, an exhaust casing of comparatively light material fixed to each half of the stator and having a combined common outlet the plane of the limiting edge of which is parallel to a plane passing through the axis of the stator and which in its upper portions slopes away from the vertical in the direction of the opening, the said exhaust casing increasing in its combined vertical dimen- I sion from the said plane through the axis to the plane of its outlet, and a condenser casing attached to the exhaust casing along its plane of outlet and communicating therewith, the condenser casing wall disposed oppositely to the plane of outlet conforming to the ships hull interior framing.

5. In a marine installation comprising a horizontal steam turbine and a condenser, a stator having a removable upper half, an exhaust casing fixed to the upper half of the stator having an open side, an exhaust casing fixed to the lower half of the stator having an open side and a closed side sloping downwardly toward the open side, the said open sides of the casings forming a combined exhaust outlet, and a condenser casing having one open side adapted for attachmentto the exhaust casing combined outlet and in direct communication therewith, and a closed opposed side adapted to conform to the ships hull interior framing.

6. In a marine installation comprising a horizontal steam turbine and a condenser, a stator having a removable upper half, an exhaust casing fixed to the upper halfbf the stator having an open side, an exhaust casing fixed to the lower half of the stator having an open side and a closed side sloping downwardly toward the open side, the said exhaust casings being composed of comparatively light material and on their open sides united to form a combined exhaust outlet, and a condenser casing having one open side adapted for attachment to the exhaust casing combined outlet and in direct communication therewith, and a closed opposed side adapted to conform to the ships hull interior framing.

'7. In a marine installation comprising a horizontal steam turbine and a condenser, a stator having a removable upper half, an exhaust casing fixed to the upper half of the stator having an open side, an exhaust casing fixed to the lower half of the stator having an open side and a closed side sloping downwardly toward the open side whereby the condensate from the turbine is drained into the condenser, the said exhaust casings being composed of comparatively light material and on their open sides united to form a combined exhaust outlet, and a condenser casing having one open side adapted for attachment to the exhaust casing combined outlet and in direct communication therewith, and a closed opposed side adapted to conform to the ships hull interior framing.

8. In a marine installation comprising a horizontal steam turbine and a condenser, a stator composed of separable halves, the upper half including steam inlet means, the lower half adapted for attachment to suitable supporting means, an exhaust casing of plate metal welded to the up per half having an open side, an exhaust casing of plate metal welded to the lower half having an open side and opposite thereto a closed side sloping downward toward the open side, the said open sides of the casings forming a, combined exhaust outlet'sloping downward toward the closed side, and a condenser casing having one open side adapted for attachmentto the exhaust casing combined outlet and in direct communication therewith, and a closed opposed side adapted to the shape of the ships hull interior framing.

9. In a marine installation comprising a horizontal steam turbine and a condenser, a casing comprising an upper turbine portion, a lower turbine portion, and a condenser portion, the said upper turbine portion being removable with surfaces of jointure in two planes, one of said surfaces being adapted for jointure with the lower turbine portion, and the other of said surfaces being' adapted for jointure with the condenser portion,

10. In a marine installation comprising a horizontal steam turbine and a condenser, a casing comprising an upper turbine portion, a lower turbine portion, and a condenser portion, the said upper turbine portion being removable with surfaces of jointure in two planes, one of said surfaces being substantially horizontal, and the other of said surfaces being disposed at an obtuse.

angle to the first mentioned surface.

11. The combination of a horizontal steam turbine and a condenser, with a combined casing therefor comprising an upper turbine portion, a lower turbine portion, and a condenser portion,

each of said portions separable one from another.-

12. The combination of a horizontal steam turbine and a condenser, with a combined casing therefor comprising an upper turbine portion, a lower turbine portion, and a condenser portion, the said upper turbine portion being removable with surfaces of jointure in two planes, one of said surfaces being adapted for jointure with the lower turbine portion, and the other of said surfaces being adapted for jointure with the condenser portion.

13. The combination of a horizontal steam ture bine and a condenser, with a combined casing therefor comprising an upper turbine portion, a

lower turbine portion, and a condenser portion,

the said upper turbine portion being removable with surfaces of jointure in two planes, one of said surfaces being adapted for jointure with the lower turbine portion, and the other of said surfaces being adapted for jointure with the condenser portion, and the said casing contain" ing a compartment communicated with by each of said portions.

14. The combination of a horizontal steam turbine and a condenser, with a combined casing therefor comprising an upper turbine portion, a lower turbine portion, and a condenser portion, the said upper turbine portion being removable with surfaces of jointure in two planes, one of said surfaces being substantially horizontal and adapted for jointure with the lower turbine portion, the other of said surfaces being disposed at an obtuse angle to the first mentioned surface and adapted for jointure with the condenser portion, the said lower turbine portion having a compartment communicating with the condenser portion, the said compartment having a bottom closing wall underlying the greater portion of the turbine and sloping downward toward the condenser portion.

15. In a marine installation, the combination of a horizontal steam turbine and a condenser, with a combined casing therefor comprising a turbine portion, and a condenser portion abreast of and in direct communication with the turbine portion, and comprising an outside wall with a contour which conforms to the interior wall of the ships hull, a hot-Well portion which lies below the level of the lowermost limits of the turbine portion, an outlet communicating with said hot-well, plural vertical baffles laterally disposed in spaced relation, plural compartments formed by said bafiies intercommunicated in the hot-well portion, plural .vertical baffies longitudinally disposed in alignment nearer said outside wall in the upper half of said compartments, and a communicating outlet at the top of each of said compartments.

16. The combination of a horizontal steam turbine and a condenser, with a combined casing therefor comprising a turbine portion, and a condenser portion abreast of and in direct communication with the turbine portion, and comprising a hot-well portion which lies below the level of the lowermost limits of the turbine portion, an outlet communicating with said hot-well, plural vertical baflies laterally disposed in spaced relation, plural compartments formed by said baflies intercommunicated in the hot-well portion, plural vertical bafiles longitudinally disposed in alignment nearer said outside wall in the upper half of said compartments, and a communicating outlet at the top of each of said compartments.

17. In a power plant installation comprising a horizontal turbine and a condenser, a casing comprising an upper turbine portion, and a lower turbine portion and condenser portion, the said upper turbine portion being removable with surfaces of jointure in two planes, one of said surfaces being adapted for jointure with the lower turbine portion, and the other of said surfaces being adapted for jointure with the condenser portion.

18. The combination of a horizontal steam turbine and a condenser, with a combined casing therefor comprising an upper turbine portion, and a lower turbine portion and condenser portion, the upper turbine portion being separable from the other portions.

CHARLES P. WETI-IERBEE. JOHN E. BURKI-IARDT.

CERTIFICATE OF GORRECTKQN.

Patent No. 1,946,249.

QHARLES P. WETHERBEE, ET AL.

it is hereby certified that errer appears in the printed specification 0f the above numbered patent requiring eerrectien as i'eiiaws: i age strike eut lines 114 to 11% inclusive, eempi'ising eiaim ii; page 5, strike out lines 97 to Hi2 inelusive, eemprisiiig claim 18; and pages 4- and; 5 respectively, for claim numbers '12, 13, M, 15, 16 and 17," read i1, 12, i3, 14 15 and i6; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these eerreetiems therein that the same may conform to the record ef the ease in the Patent '(iifiee.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of August, A. D. 1935.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting ilomziiissiener oi Paients.

February 6, 1934. 

